With a critical world food situation and an increasing protein gap between the rich and the poor, scientific and technological solutions exist, at least in principle, to extend food production and thus avoid world wide famine. Human food requirement, malnutrition, the world markets of supply and food habits are reviewed. Conventional developments of food production consist in expanding arable land, the Green Revolution more fertilizers and irrigation, plant protection and the accumulation of reserves. But the efficient processing of animal and plant proteins is equally important and so is the production of new concentrated proteins. Amongst the more unconventional developments, algae, fungi, yeast and bacteria as single cell proteins, are only the first steps in the biotechnological production of natural substances for human consumption to remove the food crisis.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
KahnH., BrownW. and MartelL., The next 200 years: A Scenario for America and the world, W. Morrow, New York (1976).
2.
ColfinsP., Facing the facts about food. Nature (London)256, 85 (1975).
3.
WittM., Überfluβ an Fleisch und Milch in den Industriestaaten–Tödlicher Eiweiβmangel in den Entwicklungsländern – die Schere öffnet sich immer weiter. Umschau77, (12) 375 (1977).
4.
MeadowsD., Die Grenzen des Wachstums, Bericht des Club of Rome zur Lage der Menschheit, Deutsche Verlagsanstalt Stuttgart. Limits to Growth, Potomac Associates, Washington DC (1972).
5.
HerreraA. O., Grenzen des Elends, Das Bariloche Modell: So kann die Menschheit überleben, Gustav FischerVerlag, Stuttgart (1977).
6.
MesarovicM. and PestelE., Menschheit am Wendepunkt, 2. Bericht an den Club of Rome zur Weltlage, Deutsche Verlagsanstalt, Stuttgart. Mankind at the Turning Point, Dutton Inc., New York (1974).
7.
ScrimshawN. S., Effect of infection on nutrient requirements. Am. J. Clin. Nutr, 30, 1536–1544 (1977).
8.
LathamM. C., Nutrition and infection in national development. Science188, 561–565 (1975).
9.
GanzinM., Present and future world protein supplies. FoliaiVetiLat. VI, (Suppl. 1)34–48 (1975).
10.
StoneH., World protein requirements. Notizario14, 23 (1973).
11.
PolemanT. T., World food: perspectives. Science188, 510–518 (1975).
12.
CremerH. D., Fehlernährung als Weltproblem, Zentralblatt für Bakteriol, Hyg. Abt. 1. 163, 96–110 (1976).
13.
WinnickM. and BraselJ. A., Early malnutrition and subsequent brain development. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 300, 280–282 (1977).
14.
BeatonG. H. and BengoaJ. M., Nutrition in preventive medicine, WHO, Geneva (1976).
15.
Energy and Protein Requirements. FAO Nutrition Meeting Report, Series No. 52 (1973).
16.
ClaphamW. B. and MesarovicM. D., Report of the Club of Rome. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 300, 228–238 (1977).
17.
SenezJ., Single Cell Protein in Food Strategy of the EEC. Folia Vet. Lat. VI, (Suppl. 1)97–108 (1975).
18.
SchugW., Agrarüberschüsse und Nahrungsmittelhilfe, Kraftfutter60, 170–174 (May 1977).
19.
GroteH., Weltmarkt für Eiweißfuttermittel, Kraftfutter61, 18–24 (January 1978).
20.
TodhunterE. N., Food habits, food faddism and nutrition. World Rev. Nutr. Diet. 16, 286–317 (1973).
21.
ChaudreyD. P., Famine amid surplus: a problem of production, economics or distribution?Search7, 124–128 (1976).
22.
PimentelD., et al., Land degradation effects on food and energy resources. Science194, 149–155, (1976).
23.
BorlaugN. E., Mankind and civilization at another crossroad, McDougall Memorial Lecture, FAO (1971).
24.
YearbookFAO Production, Rome (1976).
25.
WeissermelK., Von der Rohstoffversorgung bis zum Krebs. Umschau76, (16) 509 (1976).
26.
BüchelK. H., zur PodiumsdiskussionThesen: Chemie und Ernährung (100 Jahre V.C.I.) (Verband der Chemischer Industrie) am 27, Oktober1977.
27.
GattJ. R., The water potential of the arid zone. Ann. N. V. Acad. Sci. 300, 17 (1977).
28.
MeyersS. P., Utilization of water resources in agriculture. Feedstuffs50 (16) 19 (1978).
29.
WellhausenH. F., The agriculture of Mexico. Sci. Am, 129 (September1976).
30.
CunhaT. J., More basic research on animals needed, Feedstuffs50, (5 June1978).
31.
JanickJ. et al., The cycles of plant and animal nutrition. Sci. Am. 75–86(September1976).
32.
BrinkR. A., et al., Soil deterioration and the growing world demand for food, Science197, 625–630 (1977).
33.
KinneO. and RosenthalM., Commercial cultivation (aquaculture). Mar. Ecol. Vol. III Part 3, 1321–1398 (1977).
34.
HildingstamJ., Fish farming trends. Vet.iRec. 100, 256–259 (1977).
35.
LutherG., Anwendungsmöglichkeiten neuer wissenschaftlicher Erkenntnisse in der industriellen Groβproduktion von Süβwasserfischen. Fischwirt20, 4 (1970).
36.
SandersonF. H., Das Auf und Ab der Welternährung. Umschau76, Heft 235–39 (1976).
SmithG., Whey proteins. World Rev. Nutr. Diet. 24, 88–116 (1976).
39.
PariserE. R., The potential, the problems, the status of using proteins of aquatic origin as human food. Food Technol. 25, (11), 62–74 (1971).
40.
DoesburgJ. J. and BonJ., Concentrated fish proteins – trends in past and future, in Dechema-Mono- graphien, Vol. 70, p. 71–83. Verlag Chemie, Weinheim (1972).
41.
FinchR., Whatever happened to fish protein concentrate?Food Technol. 31, (5), 44–51 (1977).
42.
BardachJ. E. and PariserE. R., Aquatic proteins, in Protein resources and technology: Status and research needs, ed. by M. Milner, N. S. Scrimshaw and D. I. C. Wang, pp.427–484, AVI Westport (1978).
43.
HallidayD. A., Blood – a source of proteins. Process Biochem. 8(12) 15–17 (1973), 10, (4) 11–12 (1975).
44.
WolfW. J. and CowanJ. C., Soybeans as a food source. CRC Crit. Rev. Food Technol. 2, (1) 81–158 (1971).
45.
CaterD. M., et al., Oilseed proteins, in ed. by M. Milner, N.S. Scrimshaw, D. I. C. Wang, Protein Resources and Technology,iStatus and Research Needs, pp.278–301. Westport, AVI (1978).
46.
WoodhamH. A., Oil seed protein, present and future. World Rev. Nutr. Diet. 10, 44–76 (1969).
47.
AdamsM. W., MilnerM., MontfortG. M. and RocklandL. B., Food legumes as a protein source, in Protein Resources and Technology, Status and Research Needs, ed. by M. Milner, N. S. Scrimshaw, D. I. C. Wang, pp.302–317. Westport, AVI (1978).
48.
KohlerG. O.et al.,Leaf protein in relation to forage crop production and utilization, in Protein Resources and Technology, Status and Research Needs, ed. byMilnerM., ScrimshawN. S., WangD. I. C., pp.543–568. Westport, AVI (1978).
49.
ParrishD. K., KrogerM. and WeaverJ. C., The prospects of leaf protein for human food – and a close took at alfalfa. CRC Crit. Rev, Food Technol. 5, (1) 1–13 (1974).
50.
KinsellaJ. E., Functional properties of proteins in foods: A survey. CRC Crit. Rev. Food Sci. and Nutr, 7, 219–280 (1976).
51.
DudaZi, Meat extenders–their technology and application. World Anim. Rev. 11, 12–19 (1974).
52.
FoxS. W.et al., inProtein Resources and Technology, Status and Research Needs, ed. byMilnerM., ScrimshawN. S., WangD. I. C., pp.569–583. Westport, AVI (1978).
